Probably a corrupted prefs.js file. This happens when Thunderbird oder PC crash or by a short a blowout. Thunderbird creates a new virgin prefs.js file which doesn't contain any of your account settings.

Go to Help < Troubleshooting Information < Profile Folder > Open folder. In the profile folder xxxxxxxx. default (or similar name) look for a prefs-1.js file or invalidprefs.js file. Also look up the prefs.js and note its size. Tell us also whether you have a recent backup of your Thunderbird profile

as I mentioned in my original message, I am far from being an expert. This is a first time since I installed TB 8 years ago? that I have a problem with it. Please look at attached screenshot. BTW, I do not believe I have a backup of the profile. I will need help with that as well...

Your screenshot shows a prefs.js file from March 26th, it has a size of kB which is the size of a "virgin" newly created prefs.js file which doesn't contain your account data.

I propose to restart TB and create your verizon.net POP account. After that go to Account settings > verizon account >Server-Settings > Message Storage > Local Directory and click on "Browse....". (see my screenshot) Navigate to your old verizon "pop3.xxxxx.net" account folder which is located in ...\Profiles\xxxxxxxx.default\Mail\ , select the "pop3.xxxxx.net" folder and click "Open". Now TB will ask you to restart, do that and you should see folders and messages of your verizon account.

If you also used the Local Folders to store messages we'll have to repeat the same operation for Local Folders..

before I start fiddling with settings - as you know, verizon.net mail is a pop3 by design; nevertheless I can get the same email on different devices, one by one (two laptops-Windows and Linux , iphone mail app) which points at imap. Aol/verizon settings are imap.aol.com for incoming and smtp.verizon.net for outgoing. Can I still proceed as you are suggesting? I am lost...

First you must understand that POP accounts store their messages in account folders such as "pop3.verizon.net" in the"Mail" folder of the Thunderbird profile folder (or as shown in my screenshot pop.free.fr) Since your prefs.js file went corrupt you had to re-create the account for your verizon email address. So a new account folder "pop3.verizon-1.net" has been created in folder "Mail", but it contains only the last messages which still were on the server. But you want to see all your old messages which are stored in the "pop3.verizon.net" folder. What I described is how to "link" your newly created POP account with the old local directory (account folder) by choosing the local directory "pop3.verizon.net" instead of "pop3.verizon-1.net" via Server-Settings > Message Storage > local directory >>> Browse....

First, I would like to thank you for your expertise and help! I do not want to mess up, so I stopped at: see the attached screenshots. What next? Honestly, I need a precise step by step - you are dealing with a guy who is rather senior, just about 80... Those "xxxxx" mean my full @verizon address?

What next? Honestly, I need a precise step by step - you are dealing with a guy who is rather senior, just about 80...

I am your senior!

Those "xxxxx" mean my full @verizon address?

No, in the beginning I didn't now the name of your email provider nor the name of your pop account folder. So I wrote xxxxx but in my last message I wrote "pop3.verizon.net"

Your screen shots show me that you took the wrong way. Once again: • Go to Account Settings > in the left pane select your verizon pop account > Server-Settings > Messages Storage > Local Directory > Browse.... You erroneously selected an AOL IMAP account! • browse (navigate) to \Thunderbird\Profiles\ a1b2c3d4.default\Mail\... your screenshot shows that you browsed to an imap.aol-1.com account folder, but in your first message you wrote that you lost an POP account!

I think I remember, since aol took over verizon's mail dept. it recommended to use imap.aol.com as incoming server. I am going to start over - fill in my address and let the TB make sense of it instead of setting manually...What a real nuisance!

A minute ago, before I attempted to follow your latest instructions -acting on an impulse, clicking this and that I noticed/opened TB mail window: inbox showing emails back to March 17, Sent going back to Nov last year, Archive folder, Saved, and Trash last three days. (ha!!!) So something worked, now I would like to bring back all my folders/subfolders under Inbox. So, where do I start?

You could also ask me how many dollars and cents are in your wallet. I don't know because I can't look in your wallet. So how can I know where are your folders and subfolders under Inbox without seeing your screen? We started to bring back the contents of your POP account but now you chose to go in another direction. I think "that your folders and subfolders under Inbox" are still saved in your old pop.xxx.xx account folder in the Mail folder of the profile folder. But I can't force you do go in this direction....

Can you post a screen shot with the contents of the "Mail" folder in your hei17vux.default profile folder?

I do not give up easily, specially when I have you guiding me. Attached screen shot of current Inbox; missing folders/subs. Would you recommend setting up a "new" TB account using auto instead of manual ? BTW, how should I understand what you put as ...Profiles\ a1b2c3d4... ( I touched some computing during my second year of Warsaw Polytechnic, but that was in 1965. Remember perforated tape?)

Please (favor to me) when this is finally sorted out/solved click "Solves the problem" on one of the postings. Thanks.

Will do. Hope, it will get solved...

I do not give up easily, specially when I have you guiding me. Attached screen shot of current Inbox; missing folders/subs.

This is not the contents of the folder "Mail" I asked for. In your answer from today at 10:53 AM you posted a screenshot of the file manager showing the path to some imap.aol-1.com folder. I would like you to open the heivux17.default folder (which is the profile folder). In this profiles folder look for the Mail folder und make a screen shot of its content

Would you recommend setting up a "new" TB account using auto instead of manual

No please don't set up a new TB account, it is already very confusing since I cannot see your screen

Mapenzi, hope this is what you're expecting. First, small screen shot showing a fragment of hel17vux.default; you can see "imap mail" and separately "mail". Second, middle: "mail" opened; third: "imap mail" opened.

I do appreciate your help, but please continue only if you feel like it! Rad.

After viewing your images I think that your newly created verizon account is not a POP account but an IMAP account. In your ImapMail folder in the profile there is an "imap.aol-1.com" account with a modification date from 3/27/25. Please open Account settings and verify whether the verizon-aol account has been created as POP account or IMAP.

Hi Mapenzi; It is nice of you to continue... The account server settings attached. When setting up here, and in the past on iphone "Mail" and Linux "Betterbird" mail clients I followed aol/verizon directions. I can receive same emails on all devices, despite verizon.net mail is supposed to be pop3...Anyway, hope to get all my folders back here on the PC.

Ok, it's what I'd said before. When your "Thunderbird account vanished" - as you related in your first message - and you re-created the vanished account, you created the new account as an IMAP account although it formerly was a POP account. So it is normal that you cannot see the old messages of this account since they are stored in the pop.verizon.net account folder in the Folder "Mail". There are at least two methods to restore those messages.

I'll explain the more simple way: • open Account Settings, click on "New Account" and create once more your verizon account but this time pay attention to choose the POP protocol • if the account is successfully created as a POP account go to Server Settings > Message Storage > local folder and click on "Browse...." • navigate to your profile folder > Mail > select the pop.verizon.net folder and click on "Open". • You will be prompted to restart Thunderbird and thereafter you should see your verizon POP account in the folder pane. And you should the old messages of this account....

Since you use the IMAP protocol on different devices it would be a better solution to keep your actual Verizon address as an IMAP account. To recover the old messages still lying dormant in the pop.verizon.net account folder in Mail I propose the following different solution: • Thunderbird closed, go to the Mail folder in your profile and copy the pop.verizon.net account folder • paste it in Local Folders-1 and rename it in Verizon.sbd • open Notepad, save the empty file as Verizon and delete the .txt suffix which will be added automatically by your Windows system • move the Verizon file in Local Folders-1 • Now you should see somewhat like in my screen shot below in your Local Folders-1 • Restart Thunderbird and look up Local Folders in the folder pane: you should see the folders and messages from your old verizon POP account (see second image)

If you like you can copy the old messages to the corresponding folders in your actual Verizon IMAP account

I am making progress ( see attachment) but I do not want to mess up, I am lost here: •open Notepad, save the empty file as Verizon and delete the .txt suffix which will be added automatically by your Windows system • move the Verizon file in Local Folders-1

which "empty file" ? please instruct me; what/how exactly I am to do these two steps(I wish I were more IT educated...)